James l



@eine gestes stwt @titre IMPROVED TRAGEA-IASTENER.

tlge tlghirle referrer tu `in tlgese ettms 'vntent rmt making putt nf lgt larme.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. SHORT, of Gosport, in the county of Marion, and Stcteot' Iowa, have invented a new and useful improvement in '.lrace-Festenings; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a. full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had tO the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in trace-fasteuings, and consists of a catch swung in a. metal box, and held down by means Oi' a spring. 'lhe trace may be released from the catch by the driver pulling on n cord, when the horse would be immediately detached from t-he carriage. In the accompanying drawings- Figure l isa side view of my improved truce-fastener, and` Figure 2 a. horizontal-section thereof, at line :e x.

Similar letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts.

A A is a; metal box, attached to the shaft or single-tree; B, acatch swung in the box A, on the pivot a, and held down bythe spring C. E is the trace-tug, catching on B, the trace being attached at e. D is z. guard, through which passes the rope d', attached on the outside of the catch B, :tud placed within reach of the driver. The trace-tug is slipped over the catch B, by which it is firmly held. To release it the handle b of the catch B may be pressed down, when the tug williall out, or the driver. may pull on the rope d, eifecting the same object, and detuc'hing the horse from the carriage in an instant.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The metal box A, attached to the shai't or single-tree, substantially as described.

2. The catch B, held down by the spring C, combined with the trace-tug E, or their respective equivalents, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The single-tree attachment, formed of the box A, catch B, and spring C, or their respective equivalents, substantinlly as described.

4. 'lhe combination with the above-described single-tree attachment of the guard D, or its equivalents, substantially as described.

5. The employmentof the safety-cord d, with the single-tree attached, with or withontthelguard-IDrSulh,

stantially as herein specified and described.

JAMES L. SHORT.-

Witnesses:

H. D. GIBSON, L. T. GussON. 

